Sunday Brunch with Earl Grey Muffin Recipe

As true believers in community over competition, Natalie and I believe gathering with our fellow creatives in the spirit of hospitality is essential for building up one another. We are often so busy planning other people’s events that we rarely take the time to plan a gathering for ourselves, a retreat from work to refresh ourselves with genuine relationship and conversation. Natalie, of Natalie Choi Events, designed a simple invitation suite that was mailed to our guests so that they would have the joy of receiving something tangible in the midst of our digital email age. The words on our invitation suite, included below, were inspired by the words of our Creator in Hebrews 10:23-25.

“You are cordially invitedto a gathering of friends and sistersto fellowship and share in the breaking of breadto stir up one another to love and good worksto celebrate the beauty of the year pastto greet a new season of beauty yet to be created”

Our table was simply set with soft linens and bud vases filled with seasonal flowers, fresh from the market. As we chatted about the year to come, we nibbled on a menu of mini croque monsieur puff pastries, baked eggs with mushroom & spinach, assorted pastries from our local bakery, and pavlovas dripping with berries and honey made by Amanda of Just Bakecause, one of our guests.

Earl Grey Muffin Recipe

Ingredients

yield: 12 muffins

time: 40 minutes

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp baking powder

1 cup milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 earl grey tea bags

1 tsp loose earl grey tea leaves, finely ground (optional)

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 500F.

Measure out 1 cup of milk in a liquid measuring cup, and microwave for 1 minute (or alternatively heat up in a small saucepan). Remove, add tea bags and steep for at least 10 minutes, or up to half an hour. Let steep longer or use an extra tea bag for a stronger earl grey flavor.

Add the rest of the liquid ingredients (vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla) to the measuring cup with the milk, and beat until light. If you used a measuring cup with a lip above the 2 cup mark, you can even measure and beat your ingredients in the same cup! Less cleanup!

Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and blend with a whisk or fork for 20 seconds. It's okay if there are a few small clumps left.

Fill a lightly greased or lined muffin tin to 2/3 or 3/4 of the way full. Place the muffins in the oven and immediately drop the temperature down to 400F. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.